New York City Chelsea

Cheaper rents and beautiful spaces have lured many of the original SoHo galleries to Chelsea’s converted warehouses. The area west of Ninth Ave., between 17th and 26th St., is full of display spaces holding every kind of art imaginable. You could spend days wandering the streets and stopping in galleries without seeing it all. Don’t worry, if you enter a gallery, there’s no onus on you to buy a piece of art. The area enclosed by Fifth and Sixth Ave. and 17th and 21st St. is known as the Photography District for its many professional photo labs. ( S A, C, E, L to 14th St./8th Ave.; C, E to 23rd St./8th Ave.)

529 W 20th St., between 10th and 11th Ave. This 11-floor colossus houses over 20 contemporary art galleries, including the ACA Galleries ( } 212-206-8080; www.acagalleries.com) and the Dorfman Projects ( } 212-352-2272; www.dorfmanprojects.com).
David Zwirner, 525 W. 19th St. (☎212-727-2070; www.davidzwirner.org), at 10th Ave. A 4-room gallery shows unconventional work by big name international talent. Works range from sculpture and painting to digital installations and pieces that are hard to classify (such as Chris Ofili’s elephant dung). One of Chelsea’s most notable galleries.
Sonnabend, 536 W 22nd St. (☎212-627-1018; www.artnet.com/sonnabend.html), between 10th and 11th Ave. Originally located in SoHo, this famous gallery has shown works by well-known American and European contemporary artists for 40 years without losing its edge. Painting, sculpture, and photography have all found their way inside the doors of the Sonnabend. Recent exhibits have included works by Ashley Bickerton, Jeff Koons, and Matthew Weinstein. Open Tu-Sa 10am-6pm; call to verify summer hours .
Matthew Marks Gallery, 522 W 22nd St. (☎212-243-0200; www.matthewmarks.com), between 10th and 11th Ave. A leader of the Chelsea gallery scene, with exhibits by major modern and contemporary artists (Willem de Kooning, Ellsworth Kelly, Nan Goldin) in 2 large spaces. Open Tu-Sa 11am-6pm. Additional location at 523 W 24th St., between 10th and 11th Ave.
525 W 22nd St., between 10th and 11th Ave. A handful of excellent, petite galleries of contemporary art in one space, including the 303 Gallery ( } 212-255-1121; www.303gallery.com; open Tu-Sa 10am-6pm, call for summer hours), which focuses on photography. Many galleries cater to an art-student clientele.
Andrea Rosen, 525 W 24th St. ( } 212-627-6000; www.andrearosengallery.com), between 10th and 11th Ave. Features a fantastic mix of photography, sculpture, and painting, including works by Wolfgang Tillmans, Matthew Ritchie, John Coplans, and John Currins. Open Tu-Sa 10am-6pm.
Anton Kern, 532 W 20th St. ( } 212-367-9663; www.antonkerngallery.com), between 10th and 11th Ave. Cutting-edge installations, often featuring three-dimensional works. Works by Kai Althoff, Monica Bonvicini, and Alessandro Pessoli have all been shown here. Open Tu-Sa 10am-6pm.
Cheim & Read, 547 W 25th St. (☎212-242-7727; www.cheimread.com), between 10th and 11th Ave. A well-respected gallery that emphasizes photography and highly conceptual art, sometimes with a political bent. Diane Arbus, Michael Hurson, Pat Steir, and Lynda Benglis have been featured. Open Tu-Sa 10am-6pm; summer Tu-F only.
Kashya Hildebrand, 531 W 25th St. (☎212-366-5757; www.kashyahildebrand.org), between 10th and 11th Ave. A well-curated space with an emphasis on photography. Kate Dineen and Farhad Moshiri have been featured. Open Tu-Sa 10am-6pm.
Max Protetch, 511 W 22nd St. (☎212-633-6999; www.maxprotetch.com), between 10th and 11th Ave. Started as an exhibition space for architectural drawings, Protetch now hosts impressive, intelligent shows of painting, sculpture, and all things in between. Open Sept.-June Tu-Sa 10am-6pm; July-Aug. M-F 10am-6pm.
Gagosian, 555 W 24th St. ( } 212-741-1111; www.gagosian.com), between 10th and 11th Ave. This massive downtown branch offers exciting video art, space for installations, and works by established masters and hot rising stars. Recent displays have showcased the work of Damien Hirst, Ed Ruscha, and Richard Serra. Open Tu-Sa 10am-6pm.